The Desire is back - HTC announces the Desire X

I wasn't sure we would ever see the Desire brand again from HTC but it is back, this time in the form of the Desire X. Over at IFA in Berlin HTC have announced the new handset which is due for release from September. Specs wise it isn't a match for the HTC One X and I think that the Desire X is more your average consumer handset. That said, it still has a lot going for it. Sporting a 4 inch Super LCD WVGA screen it will be the perfect size for many people. Combined with the familiar Sense UI and Android 4.0 the Desire X should be a crowd pleaser.

Once again HTC have focused on a couple of main features. The 5MP camera hits the spotlight with HTC's ImageChip, a f/2.0, 28mm wide-angle lens, BSI sensor, HDR mode and automatic adjustable flash. Like on the One Series devices, capturing pictures and video can be done simultaneously. Music is the other key feature with the Desire X. Beats Audio is once again on board to ensure crisp, rich music playback. Full press release from HTC is below.

BERLIN, GERMANY – IFA - 30th August, 2012 — HTC, a global leader in mobile innovation and design, today unveiled the HTC Desire X, an affordable smartphone that delivers a state of the art camera, stunning sound and incredible processing power and speed. Tuned with HTC exclusive Beats Audio™, this device also delivers a dual-core 1GHz Qualcomm® Snapdragon S4™ processor and social features that enable you to stay better connected.

“HTC Desire X is an extension of your social life,” said Jason Mackenzie, President, Global Sales and Marketing for HTC Corporation. “If you’re looking to enjoy and share high quality multimedia, wherever you are, this is the phone for you. It not only looks and sounds great, but also provides a super-fast, highly personal mobile experience at a great price.”

Iconic design, powerful performance
This striking design is built to withstand everyday life while remaining both slim and compact. With the inclusion of HTC Sense® and Android™ 4.0, every individual’s experience is completely personal. The impressive 4-inch super LCD WVGA screen on the HTC Desire X with increased viewing angle also means that everything will appear in vivid colour and with amazing clarity.

State of the art camera
Perfect for point-and-shoot spontaneity, the 5 megapixel camera on the HTC Desire X takes fantastic photographs, even in challenging low-light conditions, thanks to HTC’s proprietary ImageChip, a f/2.0, 28mm wide-angle lens, BSI sensor, HDR mode and automatic adjustable flash. When capturing content you won’t need to choose between video or photos again, with VideoPic you can to take video and stills at the same time. This smartphone can even record the most fleeting of moments with superfast activation (within 1 second) and auto focus with Always Focus. What’s more, one-press Continuous Shooting allows you to capture multiple photos of fast-paced action, be it a medal-winning sprint or the family dog.

Sharing made easy
Saving and sharing photos, videos and files is easy on HTC Desire X – with one touch you can instantly share content with your friends and family via email, text or social networks. Dropbox integration also gives you 25GB of free online storage for two years*.

Authentic Sound
Delivering deep bass and richer, more powerful sound, integrated Beats Audio on the HTC Desire X makes you feel like you are actually hearing your music in the studio. With Beats headphones, you can also enjoy a superior listening experience thanks to HTC Desire X specifically tuned audio profiles. What’s more, the phone also supports High Definition wireless audio through Bluetooth®.

Availability
HTC Desire X will be available in selected markets across EMEA and Asia Pacific from September 2012.

* Dropbox 25GB of free storage deal is available to those who sign up to it before the end of 2013. Sign up using the HTC Desire X device. Dropbox is provided by a third party.

Personally, I'm waiting for HTC to bring back the qwerty keyboard. They used to have some of the best keyboarded phones out there, but they never brought an Android model to Verizon (almost, but the Merge never materialized). Guess I'll have to continue choosing from Moto or Samsung for the foreseeable future.